Museums Form Cost-cutting Group In Bethlehem

January 03, 1992|by PAUL WIRTH, The Morning Call

The "financial realities" of the museum business in historic Bethlehem have forced a partnership among four non-profit organizations to cut costs.

Historic Bethlehem Inc., Burnside Plantation and Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts will share services and staff time, and will work together to schedule and promote special shows and events, officials said yesterday.

Because of the duplication of some jobs at the organizations, staff cuts are likely, according to Ralph Schwarz of the new Bethlehem Heritage Partnership.

The partnership is a cooperative venture of the three Bethlehem museum organizations and the Bethlehem Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation, a subsidiary of the Bethlehem chamber. It was formed about two weeks ago, and announced yesterday.

"It will enable these organizations to provide greater community service through joint operations and shared personnel," said Schwarz, who is partnership chairman. Other non-profit groups in Bethlehem will be invited to join, he said.

It does not mean that the groups have merged, Schwarz said. Each will continue to have its own board of directors and to manage its historic properties independently. But such services as executive direction, accounting, education and public relations might be shared among the groups.

"In a community of this size, it is not reasonable to duplicate these services because of the financial realities," Schwarz said. He said operating costs have climbed steadily, while income has not.

Historic Bethlehem, which Schwarz leads as interim manager, last year put staff members on short work weeks to cut operating costs. Schwarz said yesterday the group's financial crisis has been brought under control.

Each organization in the partnership will make staff time available to the other groups every week, Schwarz said. Each group has appointed two members to the partnership board.

By improving efficiency and streamlining operations, Schwarz said the groups hope to attract increased donations from individuals and the business community.

Bethlehem Mayor Ken Smith, a former board president of Historic Bethlehem, noted that the partnership is significant because it is the first major cooperative effort among the museums. "It's going to eliminate duplication of effort," Smith said.